The sturgeon supermoon is an event that even the most astronomy-agnostic can get into. It’s coming up on Aug. 30; here are a few things to know about it.
What’s a supermoon?
A full moon that appears large and bright to us on Earth because it’s as close as it gets to the planet. Like most orbits, our moon orbit isn't perfectly symmetrical or even, and has a perigee (where it’s closest) and apogee (where it’s farthest away). Because of this variation, the moon will look 14% bigger and 30% brighter than when it does at the apogee.
What makes this one a blue supermoon?
Unfortunately, it won’t actually be blue — but it is technically a blue moon. The phrase “once in a blue moon” connotes rarity because a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month, which only happens every few years. A blue supermoon is much rarer: It’s the second supermoon in a calendar month, which happens roughly once a decade.
Why’s it called a sturgeon supermoon?
The Algonquin people, who’ve lived around the Great Lakes and depended on fish for millenia, noticed an abundance of sturgeon during the month of August. Now, any full moon in August is often referred to as a Sturgeon Moon.
Where can I see it?
Luckily, anywhere without cloud cover! But if you want to head out of town to see it, here’s a few spots.
